Letters: Shifting pre-K costs a bad idea

Regarding the letter from a preschool owner ["Target pre-K for the needy," Aug. 21] about who qualifies for and pays for prekindergarten programs, the writer suggests that those who can afford it pay for their child's private programs. This would keep owners of private preschools in business.

The problem is that these same parents would also be paying increased taxes to fund the public pre-K programs for the "needy," who would pay nothing. Those with no children would also fund public pre-K programs through school taxes. How many more "for sale" signs do we need to see here before we recognize the fact that we are forcing taxpayers to flee this area?

Newsday wrote about the surge in the pre-K population on Long Island ["A pre-K surge on LI," News, Aug. 17]. I doubt that anyone who lives here is surprised by these rapidly increasing numbers. The question is how much cost the taxpayers can continue to absorb.

Maureen Steigerwald, Hampton Bays

Editor's note: The writer is a former teacher.
 

Kudos for the painfully true letter regarding the surge in pre-K. Since the inception of New York's universal pre-K program 15 years ago, the billions spent on it have produced no distinguishable educational results. The surge is misleading. More children aren't being reached; this is just an assault on the private providers. The program is just the shifting of children from the private sector to the tax-supported public sector, resulting in higher taxes, less choice for parents, small businesses going under and more unemployment.

Since universal pre-K is not based on economic need, it does not help close the achievement gap. In fact, it makes it harder for children most in need to get help. The achievement gap is a poverty problem, not a pre-K problem. Our limited funding should be prioritized to the most vulnerable.

Perry Russell, Farmingville

Editor's note: The writer owns the Abigail Bottoms Preschool in Holbrook.